A new and distinct variety of European-type plum tree originated as a seedling of Prunus domestica in the breeding program of Cornell University and is hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x98Jayfree Plumxe2x80x99. This new variety is unique because the fruit has several traits that make it favorable for processing uses (free stone, non-shattering stone, high color retention of processed fruit products and low acidity level of fruit at commercial picking stage for processing uses).
This new and distinct variety of European plum was discovered in 1975 by John P. Watson (deceased), a plant breeder at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, N.Y., a research unit of Cornell University, hereinafter referred to as Geneva Experiment Station. By breeding methodology convention at the Geneva Experiment Station it was designated as NY 66.609.6 because it belonged to the Geneva Experiment Station Breeding Record Number 66.609, a hybrid population of trees that resulted from hybridizing the varieties xe2x80x98Valorxe2x80x99 (non-patented)xc3x97xe2x80x98Iroquoisxe2x80x99 (non-patented), and this seedling was the sixth seedling chosen for further evaluation from in a population of ninety-one siblings possessing the same parentage. The orchard location where the seedling was grown and first noticed was designated as Crittenden Farm Field Number 30, Row 7, Tree 194. This seedling was first noticed because it had fruit that was similar to xe2x80x98Valorxe2x80x99 (non-patented) in favorable fruit size but earlier in ripening time. In 1975, buds were taken from the original tree and trees for further testing were asexually reproduced by T-budding and chip budding techniques by Hilltop Nursery LLC, Hartford, Mich. 49057. This new cultivar has been reproduced on plum and peach seedling rootstocks and remains true to the description herein contained.